Arts Group, Concert Promoter At Odds

Boca Raton May Stage The Events At Mizner Park

Unhappy with a spat between a cultural-arts group and a concert promoter, the city of Boca Raton may start booking its own acts into the Mizner Park amphitheater.

City Manager Leif Ahnell said the city would begin filling dates at the amphitheater if the group and its concert promoter can't resolve their conflicts.

The Schmidt Family Centre for the Arts contracts with concert promoter Live Nation to bring musical acts to the Count de Hoernle Amphitheater. But that relationship has turned sour, and there's been no Live Nation-promoted concert since the summer.

"The results have not been acceptable," Ahnell said. "The city is getting ready to step in to make sure events will be held at the amphitheater."

Charlie Siemon, of the Centre for the Arts, said Live Nation has failed to provide enough concerts at the popular venue. In the past year, Live Nation was supposed to put on 25 concerts but produced only nine.

At the same time, Live Nation has complained that it is difficult to fill seats at the amphitheater because too many people are sitting on blankets and lawn chairs on the plaza, beyond the amphitheater, and listening to the music for free.

Live Nation officials declined to comment on the dispute with Center for the Arts.

"None of us are happy," Siemon said. "We're trying to work through that and reconcile it but it's not yet resolved."

Losing patience with the squabbling, Ahnell last week said that city officials have been talking with other concert promoters that could produce shows at the amphitheater.

An agreement between the city and Centre for the Arts gives city-hosted events priority over others at the amphitheater.

Ahnell said it could take up to four months before city-sponsored events begin at the amphitheater.

"We would open it up to all promoters and groups so there's more flexibility to arrange events," he said.

Still, the amphitheater won't sit unused. Events are planned there for the next several months, including the Centre for the Arts' signature event, Festival of the Arts Boca.

The impasse between the arts group and concert promoter comes as the city is trying to attract more people to the downtown. No concerts mean fewer people patronizing downtown businesses.

But there still is hope that Centre for the Arts will resolve its dispute with Live Nation.

"Our reason for being is to have events at the amphitheater," Siemon said.

Angel Streeter can be reached at astreeter@SunSentinel.com or 561-243-6537.